Automatic gas-regulator.



W. A. BAEHR.

AUTOMATIC GAS REGULATOR.

APPLICATION rI-Lm JULY 14,1910,

Patehted Mar.7,1911

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.'

W. A. BAEHR.

AUTOMATIC GAS REGULATOR. APPLICATION FILED JULY 14, 910.

Patented Mar. 7, 1911.

UNITED STATES PATENT- orrron WILLIAM' A. BAEHR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE RELIANCE ING & MANUFACTURING COMPANY OF CHICAGO, OF CHIGAGO,'ILLINOIS, A CORPO- RATION or WEST VIRGINIA.

AUTOMATIC GAS-REGULATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. '7, 1911.

To all whom'it may concern: 7

'Be it known that I, lViLLrAM A. BA-EHR, a citizen of the United States, and resident of. Chicago,Cook county Illinois, have invented certain new ant useful Improvements in Automatic Gas-Regulators, of which the following is a full, true, clear, and exact description, such as-will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to gas regulators, and has particular reference to improvements in automatic regulators for reducing the pressure between service gas pipes and the consumption pipes of the building in which the gas is used.

The invention further and particularly relates to i1'n11 rovements uponthe gas reguand particularly pointed out in the claims. v

lator formingthe subject-matter of my companion application, filed in the U; S. Patent Ofi'lce' July 14:, 1910, and distinguished as Serial No."572,048. v

. I apprehend that in the future illuminating and other gas wvill be distributed through 'mains'under high pressure, and, vas high pressure gas cannot be employed in the burners commonly found throughout the country, that it will be necessary to supply to each house or point of consumption a simple and yet efiicient reducing valve or regulator by which the pressure 111 the consumption pipesmay be kept downto a very few ounces..

The object of y invention is to such a regulator for such uses' My invention consists generally in an au tomatic gas pressure reducing valve and. regulator ofthe kind hereinafter describedprovide The invention will be-more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section of a gas regulator embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view thereof substantially on the line XX of Fig. 1 viewed in the direction of the arrows; F g. 3 is a similar section on the line YY of Fig. 1; Fig.

4' is an enlarged detailed sectional view of the valve of my regulator Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the valve on the line ZZ of Fig. 4; and Fig. 6 is a detail view of a por- ,tion of the casing illustrating the method of adjusting the tension of the torsion spring.

sure is maintained upon the outer side of the As shown in the drawings, my novel'gas regulator comprises a substantially-circular casing made in two parts 2 and 3, the part 2 thecover 3 is a diaphragm-5 reinforced at the center'by metallic plates 6. i The cover 3 contains a hole 3' so that atmospheric presdiaphragrn, i. ehthe side toward the cover. In the upper part of the cover, upon the atmospheric side of the diaphragm, I arrange a cross shaft 6 carrying a torsion spring The shaft is arranged in bearings 3 in the cover and is adjustably secured against rotation by a set screw 8 in one of the bearings. One end 7 of the torsion spring is secured to the shaft 6 by being passed through a hole 6 therein-while the other ,end is. formed into an arm 7- terminating in a curl 7-- and pressing upon the center of the diaphragm Thus formed the spring exerts itspressure to hold the diaphragm away from the inner'wall of the cover in opposition to any gas pressure which ,may accumulate within the body 2-.that is, withinthe chamher A back of the diaphragm. This spring is made adjustable as-to its tension to adjust or vary the normal pressure ofgas in the chamber A. This adjustment is effected by the rotation of the shaft 6 in its bearings,- the shaft being squared or flattened at one of. its projecting ends to receive a key 8, by which it may be rotated when the set screw 8; is loosened. The back of the body of the casing is provided witha wide vertical rib 2 containingan elongated vertical recess 2" which opens into the circular portion of the chamber A. The top of the part 2 contains athreaded hole 9 to receive the exit or projection or neck 11 which is providedjwi th i a centrally threaded opening 12 opening into the interior of said casing and with a threaded opening 13 on its side to receive the inlet pipe 14, said opening, 13 beingrconnected with the opening 12 by the passage 15. The opening 12 receives the entrance valve or regulator valve proper through which the high pressure gas enters the chamber A. The largest part of the valve constitutes a threaded plug 16, having a square shoulder or head 17 at its lower end by means of which it may be forced or screwed into the part of the plug contains a vertical cylindrical chamber 18 reduced in effective diameter by the internal guide ribs- 19, the in ner edges of which are finished. to serve as guides for'the valve member 20. The bottom of the chamber 18 contains a central inwith the incoming gas.

let' hole 21 at the upper end of which is an annular-seat 22 to receive the valve member 20. The plug 16'isprovided with an annular recess or groove 23 disposed substantially opposite to or in linewith the passage 15 and with a radial passage 24 which connects the central passage 21 with the annular groove 23 and through which the gas passes rom the supply pipe 14: into the chamber A.- The lower end of the central passage 21 is enlarged to form a drip chamber 25 which is closed at its lower end by means of a removable threaded plug 26. This chamber acts as a drip chamber to catch and retain any moisture which may enter the valve The lower end of the plug 16 is parallel or straight, instead of tapered and is threaded to receive the lock nut 27 The lower end of the projection 11 is dished and a soft packing ring 28 is provided adapted to be compressed against. the

. dished end 28 of the projection 11 by the lock nut 27 to prevent'the escape of gas at this point. p

In the lower end of the valve 20 is a recess 20 which is utilized to hold a soft seat It will beobserved that the annular wall 20 surrounding the packing 20"- is relatively thin and in manufacturing the member 20 I preferably swage or com press this wall annularly upon the packing 20, thereby securing the latter firmly in place upon the lower end of the member 20. The upper end of the member 20 has a shoulder 20* and the member 20 is supported by a conical spring 29, the upper end of which engages the shoulder 20* while the spring rests upon the upper ends of the internal ribs 18 as best shown in Fig. 4. The spring is strong enough to support the valve member 20 out of contact with the seat'22 and such isjits condition except under an abnormal pressure of gas within the chamber A at which time the valveis pressed down by the hereinafter described. toggle lever mechanisniwhich is actuated by the diaphragm. The upper end of the member 20 18 provided with a recess 20 similar to the recess 20 in the lower end of the memthreaded opening 12. The upper end of the plug is tapered slightly so that a very tight her, to receive a soft seat packing. 20 which .in conjunction with the member 30 forms a which is provided at its lower end with an annular valve seat 30 for-the soft packing 20. The member 30 is threaded into the upper end of the plug 16. A short stem or stud 20 rises centrally from the top of the member 20 and extends considerably above the upper end of the member 30. This stem or stud is engaged by the diaphragm mechanism when the diaphragm is extended bV pressure within the chamber A. The said mechanism comprises a toggle lever 31 composed of two links, a strut link 32 and a valve actuating link 33, the same being joined by pivot pins 34 and 35. The upper link or arm of the toggle lever is attached by a pin 36 to an internal lug 2 at the top of the casing. The strut 32is attached by a pin 32 to a lug 6 on the diaphragm, and the lower end of the link 33 is pivoted to the casing by a cross pin 33. The severallinks are preferably U, shaped in cross. section and are wide enough to. aiford lateral stabilit to their pivots. The lower part 33 of the ink 33 is directly abovethe stud 20 of the valve and when'the diaphragmis ex tended by pressure within the chamber A the toggle'lever is straightened to, such an extent that the link 33 is moved down against the said stud of the valve and the valve is thereby forced down against its spring until the lower end of the member 20 is seated about the opening or passage 22, to close the latter. This relation of the parts is shown by dotted-lines in Fig. 1. The full lines of Fig. 1 illustrate the position of the valve member 20 and the toggle mechanism at the moment when the pressure in the chamber A is nil or much less than normal. Normally the link 33 has a fixed pivot and a relatively fixed position within the casing. The valve plug is made adjustable in the manner hereinbefore explained, and, being adjustable, it may be raised or lowered. in the thread of the opening. 12 until the valve member 20 properly 'coacts with the toggle mechanism.

The operation of the regulator herein disclosed is' as follows: When there is no pressure within the regulator the diaphragm and the toggle mechanism occupy the posi-- tions shown in Fig. l and the valve member 20 being at that time supported; by the spring will stand midway between the two valve seats 22 and 30". When gas is supplied to the pipe 14, it will fiow through the passage 22, the chamber 18 and the opening 30, until the accumulating pressure in the chamber A is sufficient to. distend the diaphragm so far as to straighten outthe toggle lever and cause the lower end thereof toengage the stud of the, valve member 20.

The parts will remain in'this condition until the distention of the diaphragm is increased .to' thepoint'where the toggle mechanism forces the valve member firmly againstthe lower valve seat 22 and thus closes the en-- trance passage 21. The return of the diaphragm when pressure is reduced in "chamher A suffers the valve to be lifted by its springand-to admit a further supply of gas.

In event the diaphragm is broken or the consumption pi e is suddenly opened, the .high pressure 0 the. gas in the supply pipe 14, being no longeropposed by the dia-' phragm and toggle mechanism, will cause the valve suddenly to rise beyond the point of normal support by the spring 29 and close the opening or passage 30'. Once closed in this manner the valve will remain against the seat 30 until the balance of pressuresis restored. Obviously the valve 20 performs the function of a safety or automatic emergency valve, and a chief feature of my invention arises from the factthat the single member 20 performs the functions of both entrance and emergency valves, and its use enables the production of a regulator of remarkable simplicity, efliciency and 'reliability, I

A particularly desirable feature of my improved gas regulator resides in the ease with which the regulating valve may be re;

moved for repair without in any way disturbing the supply or consumption pipes, or

the diaphragm and toggle lever mechanism. My novel improvements in automatic gas regulators as herein disclosed, in so far as they relate broadly to the features of a floating inlet valve, carried b an adjustable valve plug which is remova le from the cas-- ing independent of the controlling mechanism and of the discharge pipe leading from the casing, are not claimed herein; such forming the subject matter of my co-pending application hereinabove referred to and being 1 therein described and claimed.

I claim:

1. A fluid pressure regulator comprising a chambered casing and valve operating mechanism therein responsive to fluid pressure,

an inlet and an outlet port for said casing,

pipe connections leading to and from said ports respectively, a valve associated with said inlet portand controlled by said mechanism for regulating the inflow of fluid to said. casing, said valve being removable, in tact,'from and through said inlet port with out disturbing said .pipe connections and said mechanism. v

2. A fiuidpressure regulator comprising a chambered-casing and valve operating mechanism therein responsive to fluid pressure, an

inlet and an outlet port for said casing, p pe connections leading to and from said ports respectively, a valve member assoc ated with f anism for regulating the inflow o fluid to said casing, said valve member being wholly removable from said casing through said inlet port Without disturbing said ipe'connections and said mechanism, and said valve beingoperable by fluid pressure to check the anism,

A fluid pressure regulator ,conngrisinga chambered. casing and valve operating mechanism therein responsive to fluid pressure, an inlet and an outlet port for said casing, pipe connections leading to and from said port-s respectively, a unit "valve mechanism associated with said inlet port, comprising I a valve casin and a floating valve member carried. there said valve member being controlled by said valve operating mechanism to regulate the flow of fluid through said port, said unit valve mechanism being removable. from said port independently of said pipe connections and said valve operating mechanism.

said inlet port and controlled by said mechinflow of fluid upon -the failure of said mech- 4. A fluid pressure regulator comprising a chambered casing and valve operating mechanism therein responsive to fluid pressure, an inlet passage for said casing, a supply pipe communicating therewith, a' valve in said passage controlled by said mechanism to regulate the inflow of fluid to said casing, said valve being removableintact from, and

through, said passage without disturbingsaid mechanisin or said supply pipe. 7

5. A fluid pressure regulator comprising a chambered casing and controlling mechanism therein responsivefito fluid pressure, a fluid supply connection for .said casing, a self contained valve member operable by said mechanism I for regulatingthe supply of fluid to said casing, said valve nember being detachable from said casing without disturbing saidsupply connection or the. operating mechanism.

6. A fluid pressure regulator comprising a chambered. casing and controllingmechanism within said casing responsive't-o fluid pressure, a neck on said casing, a supply pipe connected thereto, avalve plug inserted in said neck, a'floating valve member carried by said plug and controlled by said mechanism for regulating the inflow of fluidto said casing, said valve plug and valve being removable from said casing independently of vsaid supply pipe andsaid mechanism, and

said valve member being operable independently of said mechanism to check the flow'of fluid to said casing upon the failure of said mechanism due to an abnormal condition.

7 A fluid pressure regulator comprising a chambered casing provided with an inlet and anbutletpassage, a supply pipe communicating with said inlet passage,'a double seated valve n said inlet passage controlling the admission of fluid to said casing, means within said casing responsive to variations ofpressure therein controlling the movement, of said valve relative to one of its seats to regulate the flow of gas through said passage, said valve being adapted to automatically close upon its other seat by fluid pressure and independent of said mechanism to stop the flow ofgas through said passage upon an abnormal decrease of pressure-in said chamber, and said valve being'completely removable from the outer end of said I passage without disturbing the supply pipe.

8. In a gas regulator, a casing havlng a chamber provided with an inlet and an out let passage, a supply pipe communicating with said inlet passage, a float-mg valve member operable Within sald inlet passage "and controlling theflow of gas-therethrough, a valve seatarranged at each end of said valve,'a pressure operated diaphragm in said casing, a toggle levermechanism'within said chamber operable by said diaphragm and controlling the movement of said valve -n1ember relative to one of its seats to regulate the flow of gas through said passage, said valve being adapted to automatically close upon its other seat to stop the flow of gas through said passage upon an abnormaldecrease of pressure within said casing and said valve being removable from said casing without disturbing said supply pipe.

' 9. A gas regulator comprising a casing, a gas pressurechamber within said casing having an inlet and an outlet passage, a supply pipe communicating with said inlet passage,

a pressure responsive diaphragm WlthlIl SEtld casing, means for resisting the movement of said diaphragm in one direction, a valve operable in said inlet passage, a valve seat arranged at each end of said valve member, a valve controlling mechanism in said chamber operable by said diaphragm to control the movement of said valve relative to one of its seats to regulate the flow of gas through said inlet passage, said valve operating means being adapted to be moved out of the path of said valve member and permit it to be automatically closed upon its other sea-t upon an, abnormal decrease of pressure with" in, said chamber, and said valve member being removable from said casing without disturbingsaid supply pipe.

10. A fluid pressure regulator comprising a chambered casing, a neck on said casing, an inlet passage in said neck and means for supplying fluid to said passage, a unit valve structure in said passage comprising a valve plug and a valve member carried thereby said valve being operatively related to said mechanism and controlled thereby to regulate the inflow of fluid to said chamber, said unit valve structure being removable fromsaid inlet passage without disturbing said fluid sup ly means.

11. A E a chambered casing, 'a neck on said casing,

uid pressure regulator comprisingan inlet passage m'said neck and means for pp y fluid to said passage, a unit-valve structure in said passage comprisinga. valve I plug and a movable valve membercarried thereby, said valve member being operat-ively related to'said mechanismand con trolled thereby to regulate the" inflow or late the position of said valve relative to said mechanism and bein removable from said casing independent 0% said gassnpply.

12. A fluid pressure regulator comprlsing .fiuid to said chamber, said unit valve Stl'llCr ture being adjustable in said neck to regu-- a chambered casing and controlling meeha- 'nism therein responsive to fluid pressure, a fluid supply connectidn for said casing, a self contained valve member operable by said mechanism for regulating the supply of fluid to said casing said valve member being detachable from said casing without dising adjustable relative to said controlling mechanism. v

'13. A gas pressure regulator comprisi'ng a chambered casing, an inlet and outlet port therefor, a controlling mechanism in said chamber responsive to fluid pressure, a valve plug-associated With said inlet port,a valve carried by said plug and operable by said. mechanism to regulate the inflow of gas to said casing and a drip chamber in said plug.

14. A gas. pressure regulator comprlsmg' a chambered casing, an inlet and outlet port therefor, a controlling mechanism in said chamber responsive to fiUld pressure, a valve plug associated with said inlet port, a valvecarried by said plug and operable by said mechanism to regulate the inflow'of gas to said casing, a drain assage through said plug and a removable plug closing said drain. I 5

15. A gas pressure regulator comprising a chambered casing and pressure responsive mechanism therein and a combined inlet regulating valve and drip chamber removably associated with said casing, said valve' said ports respectively, a self-contained valve '90 "turbing said supply connection or the opera- 'lng mechanlsm, and stud valve member bemember associated with said inlet port and controlled by said mechanism for regulating the inflow of fluid to said casing, said valve member being removable intact from said inlet port Without disturbing the pipe con nections or the operating mechanism.

17 A fluid pressure regulator comprising a chambered casing and controlling mechanism therein responsive to fluid pressure, said mechanism including a diaphragm and an adjustable torsion springcounterbalancing the fluid pressure upon said diaphragm, a fluid supply connection for said casing, a

self contained valve member operable by said mechanism for regulating the supply of fluid to said casing said valve member being detachable from said casing Without disturbing said supply connection or the operating mechanism, and said valve member being adjustable relative to said controlling mechanism.

18. A fluid pressure regulator comprising aclnunbered casing provided with an outlet and an inlet port, a supply pipe communicating With said inlet port, a valve member operable Within said inlet port and removable intact from said casing through said inlet port and without disturbing said supply pipe, a diaphragm in said casing, valve operating mechanism in said casing controlled by said diaphragm and associated with said valve for regulating the flow of fluid through said inlet port, and a torsion s ring within 'said casing counterbalancing t e fluid pressure upon said diaphragm, said spring being adjust-able from the exterior of said casing.

19. A fluid pressure regulator comprising a chambered casing and a diaphragm-therein responsive to variations of fluid pressures, a fluid supply connection for said casing,

a selfcontained valve member for regulat= in the supply of fluid to said chamber, said Va ve member being detachable from said casing Without disturbing said supply connection, valve operating mechanism associatedwith said diaphragm and said valve 'member for controlling said valve and a torsion spring within said casing yieldingly maintaining said diaphragm responsive 'to the fluid pressure Within said casing said spring being adjustable from the exterior of said casing.-

20. A fluid pressure regulator comprising a chambered casing having any inlet and an outlet passage, a supply pipe communicating with said inlet passage, a pressure responsive diaphragm within said casing, an adjustable torsion spring associated with said diaphragm for controlling the movement thereof in opposition to thefluid pressure, a. double seated valve operable in said inlet passage, a valve controlling mechanism in said chamber operable by said diaphragm to control the movement of said valve relative to one of its seats to regulate the flow of fluid through said passage, said spring operating to carry said valve controlling mechanism out of the path of the valve, upon an abnormal decrease of pressure within said chamber, and allowing said valve to be closed upon its opposite seat to interrupt the flow of fluid to said casing, said valve being removable from said passage Without disturbing said supply pipe.

21. A fluid pressure regulator comprising a chambered casing and valve operating mechanism therein responsive to fluid pressure, said mechanism including a diaphragm and a spring yieldingly maintaining said diaphragm responsive to fluid pressure, a

'fluid supply connection for said casing, a

self-contained valve member operable by said mechanism for regulating the supply of fluid to said casing, said valve member being detachable as a whole from said casing Without disturbing said supply connection or the operating mechanism.

22. -A fluid pressure regulator comprising a chambered casing and valve operating mechanism therein responsiveto fluid pressure, said mechanism including a diaphragm and a compression spring yieldingly maintaining said diaphragm responsive to the fluid pressure, an inlet and an outlet port for said casing, pipe connections leading to and from said ports respectively, a unitary valve mechanism associated with said inlet Y port, comprising a valve casing and a floating valve member carried thereby, said valve member being controlled by said valve operating mechanism to regulate the flow of fluid through said port, and said unitary valve mechanism being removable as a whole from said port independently of said pipe connections and said valve operating mechanism.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, this 29th dayvof June, 1910, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses. WILLIAM A. BAEHR.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR W. NELSON, JOHN R. Lnrnvnn. 

